In many settings, such as construction sites, fair grounds, sporting events, and other outdoor affairs, and, additionally, with some indoor events such as festivals, conventions, boat shows, automobile shows, circuses, and the like, numerous temporary utility lines are typically placed on top of the ground or other surface to provide water, electricity, fuel, telephone, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, and other required utilities or services. In these same settings, however, vehicles, and often heavy machinery, are in transit through the area. Because these vehicles typically must cross over the utility lines, damage often results to the lines, and utility service is interrupted. Such interruptions are sometimes merely inconvenient, sometimes dangerous, and usually costly. Sometimes the source of the interruption may be difficult or time consuming to locate and repair.
The hoses, piping, cabling, or wiring by which the utilities or services are transported are often sufficiently flexible or rigid to support the weight of a vehicle. The coupling, commonly comprising a male and female fitting, between two or more lines, however, is the area typically damaged by a vehicle. For instance, hoses for providing water are typically flexible enough when unpressurized and rigid enough when pressurized to withstand the weight of a vehicle. The coupling connecting two or more hoses, on the other hand, is often manufactured from a relatively weak metal that is not designed to withstand the weight of a vehicle. As a result, the coupling is usually damaged when the vehicle rolls over the coupling.
A thus damaged coupling prevents proper operation of the hose and, consequently, delay and costly replacement of both the hose and its couplings frequently results. With most utility lines, it is too time consuming to attempt a repair or replacement of a damaged coupling, and as such, damage to a coupling often results in the entire replacement of at least two utility lines. Couplings of other utility or service lines, such as electrical extension cords and cabling, often suffer the same fate when a vehicle is driven over the coupling portions.
In addition to damaged couplings, the repetitious travel of vehicles over the utility line frequently causes movement of the line. Such movement may result in the unintentional and undesired disconnection of the utility line, either at the coupling or at the source. Moreover, this movement of the utility line may increase wear and tear of the line; thus, sometimes requiring premature replacement of the line.
As a make-shift attempt to avoid these problems, a variety of often inadequate solutions sometimes are contrived. For instance, the coupling may be placed upon a barrel, or other raised object, and weighted down by rocks, bricks, or the like, so that the driver of a vehicle might more easily see the raised coupling; and, thus, might avoid driving over the coupling. Such a solution, however, not only can limit the driving area for the vehicle, it can also create additional safety concerns. With the coupling so raised from the ground, the utility line proximate to the coupling also is raised; thereby, creating a trip hazard for individuals in the area, in addition to creating a possible entanglement hazard with the vehicle's tires or axle should the vehicle pass too closely to the raised coupling. Often, however, a driver or machinery operator simply does not see the raised coupling in time to avoid collision with the make-shift coupling stand.
As an alternative, the coupling may remain on the ground or other surface with two wooden boards placed on either side of the coupling and parallel with the utility line. An additional board is sometimes utilized to join each parallel board, in an attempt to limit movement of the boards relative to the coupling. The theory is that when a vehicle travels over the coupling, the boards will carry a majority of the vehicle's weight. Because this primitive design often becomes disassembled and moved during use, it, too, may fail adequately to prevent coupling damage.
In a further attempt to prevent or reduce the above-discussed incidents of coupling damage and disconnection, numerous other solutions have been proposed in the patent prior art. Examples of designs toward the solution of the above-referenced problems may be found by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,690 to Bartiaansen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,622 to Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,879 to Russo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,462 to Osten, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,588 to Sweatmen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,888 to Rhodes, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,071 to Briggs, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,505,634 to Osten, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,176 to Coffey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,951 to Blaetz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,454 to Shotey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,782 to Giffin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,387 to Hull et al., U.S.
Pat. No. 5,135,409 to Thompson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,839 to VanSkiver, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,891 to Bresko, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,940,424 to Odbert, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,543 to Zuiches, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,979 to Budner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,612 to Ryan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,559 to Berghman and U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,543 to Cannon. In light of the present invention, however, these prior art designs are disadvantageous for a variety of reasons.
Many of the above-referenced designs, for instance, fail adequately to secure the protector into a fixed position relative to the ground or other surface. Additionally, some designs do not sufficiently prevent horizontal movement of the utility line or coupling to avoid inadvertent disconnection. Of the designs that may limit horizontal movement, most are not easily adjustable to accommodate the variety of sizes of utility lines and couplings typically found in the above-described settings.
Moreover, none of the heretofore mentioned designs are seen to be intended to carry the full weight of a vehicle without crushing both the utility line coupling protector itself and the couplings contained therein.
It is readily apparent that a new and improved utility line coupling protector is needed that can protect a coupling from damage by machinery or vehicles, and, further, that can adequately prevent accidental disconnection of the coupling. It is, therefore, to the provision of such an improved utility line coupling protector that the present invention is directed.